More Like This

Preview

Contractarianism is more than a theory of the origin or legitimacy of states. Agreements required for productive cooperation, or merely for peaceful coexistence, are held to be the basis for morality, or a large part of it. Game theory is used to analyse the rationality of such agreements. Social conventions, which are not strictly agreements, also evolve over time in a community and acquire moral force. Although morality and society thus march together, individuals may always hold some social conventions to be immoral.

Contractarianism is more than a theory of the origin or legitimacy of states. Agreements required for productive cooperation, or merely for peaceful coexistence, are held to be the basis for morality, or a large part of it. Game theory is used to analyse the rationality of such agreements. Social conventions, which are not strictly agreements, also evolve over time in a community and acquire moral force. Although morality and society thus march together, individuals may always hold some social conventions to be immoral.